Arnold Ventures is a philanthropy whose core objective is to maximize opportunity and minimize injustice. We are dedicated to tackling some of the most pressing problems in the United States. We invest in sustainable change, building it from the ground up based on research, deep thinking, and a strong foundation of evidence. We drive public conversation, craft policy, and inspire action through education and advocacy.

Position Overview

Arnold Ventures is seeking a motivated individual to facilitate a high-volume contracting practice in its Houston, TX office. Reporting to a member of the Legal team, the Contract Manager will be responsible for drafting and facilitating the execution of a wide range of agreements supporting Arnold Ventures work. The Contract Manager will generate agreements, ensure compliance with internal processes, answer questions about Arnold Ventures basic contract terms, process, and technology systems supporting contract drafting, and escalate issues for attorney review as appropriate.

The Legal team helps Arnold Ventures advance its objectives by providing solutions-oriented, high-quality legal advice and counsel. Our team of professionals provides legal advice and services to Arnold Ventures’ board, leadership, and programmatic and operational teams. Our work touches upon a wide range of substantive legal areas, including tax, corporate governance, labor and employment, lobbying disclosure requirements, campaign finance, and general contract law. On any given day, the legal team might support complex grant-making activity, structure consulting and vendor arrangements, advise on advocacy initiatives, negotiate operations contracts, and support any other number of business activities.

Core Responsibilities

• Work collaboratively with the Legal team to facilitate the provision of prompt, high-quality service to the rest of the organization
• Generate a high volume of draft agreements, including grant agreements, consulting agreements, letters of understanding, and related amendments, using Arnold Ventures’ contract generation system and templates
• Shepherd contracts through review and negotiation processes, including sharing draft agreements with internal and external reviewers, following up to ensure timely finalization of language, and fielding questions about Arnold Ventures’ agreements and processes, escalating issues to Legal Counsel as appropriate
• Finalize contracts and ensure execution by counterparties, including sharing finalized agreements for execution, responding to questions about e‑signature system and process, and escalating issues to Legal Counsel as appropriate
• Keep track of all agreement requests and related deadlines
• Support process improvement, including by identifying opportunities to streamline contracting processes, improve templates, and support knowledge management
• Draft, redline, and revise other written materials as requested by Legal Counsel
• Assist with the maintenance of Arnold Ventures’ contracts management system, including updates to standard templates and management and storage of documents
• Routinely correspond with grantees, consultants, and internal clients

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3 years of prior experience, preferably in a contract management or legal setting
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to work well under pressure and to manage multiple conflicting priorities in a busy environment.
• Self-starter, ability to work well with others, awareness of when to engage other colleagues, and ability to prioritize and follow-through on work assignments independently
• Outstanding judgment and discretion handling confidential information
• Strong command of Microsoft Word and willingness to learn Salesforce and DocuSign systems.

We ask that you include a cover letter in addition to your resume when applying. The cover letter should be no more than one page and focus on the following: 1) contract or legal experience, 2) key examples that highlight your skills/​abilities for the role, and 3) what makes this role the right next step in your professional career. Cover letters will be used to assess communications and writing skills.

The salary range for this position will be $80,000-$90,000.

Benefits Overview

Arnold Ventures is committed to providing a robust and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our current benefits package includes 100% paid employee premiums for medical, dental, vision, basic life, and short- and long-term disability insurance; 20 days of paid time off, 16 paid holidays (including a winter break from December 24 to January 1), and a 9⁄80 schedule from Memorial Day to Labor Day; paid parental leave; a 401k retirement savings plan with an employer match, profit-share contribution, and immediate vesting; pre-tax transit benefits; a professional development stipend; a charitable giving stipend; and an employee assistance program.

Our Culture and Core Values

Our culture seeks to inspire and empower our people to innovate and develop bold ideas that will help Arnold Ventures achieve lasting impact. Our culture, and the core values that support it, should create an environment that spurs our team to think outside the box, feel comfortable pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and signal confidence in our team’s ability to make change happen through our philanthropic efforts. Although not an exhaustive list, below you’ll find examples of Arnold Ventures’ work culture.

• We are adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity
• We are intellectually curious, open-minded, objective, humble, collegial, and receptive to feedback
• We are action-oriented with strong self-direction and self-motivation skills with the ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects
• We are able to interact confidently and collaboratively with team members and navigate relationships with external experts, government leaders, advocates, and individuals

Arnold Ventures’ values reflect who we are as an organization, help us accelerate our strategic goals, strengthen our resolve, anchor us to our mission, and guide our decision-making. The successful candidate will also demonstrate the following core values that inspire the Arnold Ventures team to make a difference.

• Respect for Ourselves & Others
• Audacious Action
• Collaborative Engagement
• Depth of Thought
• Clear Communication

Arnold Ventures is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, military/​veteran status, or any basis prohibited by applicable law.

Acknowledging the importance of diverse perspectives, Arnold Ventures is committed to employing individuals from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of experiences. Members of historically marginalized communities and candidates who have been impacted by the systems we are seeking to change are strongly encouraged to apply.